Reduce the gender divide in Africa

In the 21st century, the issue of gender equality and women's empowerment is more important than ever. So at a time when information and communication technologies are so to speak an integral part of our daily life, it is essential that we reduce the digital divide between men and women.

Bridging the digital divide between men and women is an urgent issue. It is necessary to encourage more women and girls to devote themselves to ICTs. The collaboration of all is essential to enable women to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) on an equal footing with men. We must also offer women greater opportunities to pursue careers in the ICT sector currently facing a severe skills shortage is getting worse.

The solution is partly in education and implementation to encourage more girls to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For their part, governments and businesses must also help women more actively to flourish in the ICT sector.

In my community, access to computer equipment is a real problem because it is expensive. Girls are sometimes motivated but are unable to provide the necessary work equipment. Internet connection is still expensive in our country, which decreases the chances of some girls to flourish in ICTs.

Comments 11

Thanks for sharing your important post. Where do you see the severe skills shortage in the ICT sector? I wasn't aware of this. It is imperative, as you said, to encourage girls and women to be more interested and engaged in the STEM fields, though. We have so much to contribute, collectively. What are your suggestions for improving computer and internet access in your area?

Hi Jlanghus,Regarding the lack of skills, I would say that the field of ICT offers several essential training. Because of the high cost of these training courses, some of which are sometimes non-existent in Africa, and especially in Cameroon, some are obliged to do no training that they can pay and which will allow them to work directly or they are obliged to leave for the first time. a stranger from which they never return.I would have liked to do in ICT law but this sector does not exist in my country.We are forced to evolve in a fractional way in order to achieve our goals.In conclusion, there are people who want to train, but training is not always unavailable locally or is very expensive. It's a real problem.Regarding the problem of access to computers and the internet, I would say that I used to have 5 computers in the black-box of some companies that put them in the garbage. I was able to repair them and use them for our classes. But since we have not received this kind of offer, we need 50 computers for better supervision of our teaching and training. For the internet connection if we could have at least 30 internet modems or we only have 4. We are fighting to acquire more.

Hi Raissa,I can imagine how frustrating it is to not have access to enough computers and fully agree that this digital divide is an urgent issue. It is strong voices like yours that create awareness. It is so good to know that you are in contact with and brainstorming with other World Pulse sisters to find solutions.